Saturday | 5 October 2024 | Reg No- 06
বাংলা
   
Saturday | 5 October 2024 | Epaper

Reckless sand lifting from Meghna continues

Published : Sunday, 5 February, 2023 at 12:00 AM  Count : 457
Shipu Farazi
CHAR FASSON, BHOLA, Reckless sand lifting from different points of the Meghna River in Betua area under Char Fasson Upazila of the district are made by 10-12 dredgers.
Dredged sand is being transported from the river by at least 20 bulkhead sand vassals to pile in different adjacent areas of embankment. Sand piles look like hills.
 
According to local sources, the piled sand is being sold to different places. The government is deprived of huge amount of revenue. Also the local environment is being threatened due to movement of heavy loaded vehicles. Road infrastructure is getting damaged.
Char Fasson town protection embankment has got into risky condition. Surrounding agriculture land is getting damaged.
According to field sources, there is no leasing system of Balu Mahal in surrounding areas of Char Fasson Coastal zone. That is why a sand grabbing section is carrying out illegal sand lifting activities by managing upazila and district authorities.
 
At the same time, there is no activity by either the local administration or the coast guard. It was alleged by locals.
About 10-12 dredgers have been installed in the Majer Char of Meghna in the west of Betua Launch Ghat. More than one local influential and their local cohorts are engaged with the sand grabbing syndicate.
 
A good number of conscious locals said, locals Tajul Islam, Belayet Hossain, Aktar Hossain, Nasir, Noman Khan, Monior, Belal and other members of the syndicate are continuing the sand-lifting from 15 points since morning to evening every day.
Besides, the sand-lifting is also taking place at another 10 points ranging from Tazumuddin and Monpura to Betua. Dredged sand is being transported by sand vassals or bulkheads. Later on, sand is being sold to locals or bazaar traders.
Entire process of the sand dredging and trading is led by sand vassal association and sand traders.
In fact, the sand-lifting section is acting as a strong syndicate which is capable to manage the authorities. Its ring members are always invisible.

Requesting anonymity, some dredger labourers said, sand is being sold in cubic feet measurement to bulkhead operators. The loading capacity of each bulkhead is 6,000 to 30,000 cubic feet. Wholesale traders purchase per foot sand at Tk 3 from the bulkhead. But they sell at a higher rate of profit.

Preferring not to be named, locals said, everyday lakh and lakh feet of sand is being looted from the bottom of the Meghna. The government is losing crore and crore Taka revenue, they alleged.
A visit to Betua, Shashibhushan, Hazariganj Khejur Gachhia, Abdullapur Minabazar, Neelkamal Ghoserhat, and Noorabad Gachhirkhal found such true scenes of dredgers and sand lifting. Erosion risk has appeared at different points of the river having not embankment blocks.

Char Fasson Upazila Nirbahi Officer Al Noman Rahul said, no Balu Mahal or sand dredging has been leased in the Meghna under the Char Fasson Coastal zone. He gave assurance of taking rapid action against that sand syndicate.



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